25 August 2024, Volume 19 Issue 4

    

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  Clinical study on the correlation of Lactobacillus iners and Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

  Journal of Microbes and Infections. 2024, 19(4): 193-203.

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  By comparing the differences in vaginal microbiota structure between patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis and healthy individuals, analyze the association between different dominant bacteria and vulvovaginal candidiasis. Recruiting 18 patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC group) and 27 healthy individuals (NC group). Patients in the VVC group were treated with lactobacillus vaginal capsules combined with clotrimazole, while patients in the NC group were not treated. Collect vaginal secretions from the NC group once, and from the VVC group four times (before medication and 10 days/30 days/60 days after medication). Extract total DNA from vaginal secretions samples, analyze bacterial diversity in vaginal secretions samples using [][][]high-throughput sequencing technology, discuss changes in bacterial community in vaginal secretions samples from VVC patients before and after treatment, and analyze differences from normal population samples. The vaginal microbiota in the VVC group was mainly composed of L. iners, while in the NC group, it was mainly composed of curled L. crispatus. After treatment with antifungal drugs, there was no significant difference in the composition of vaginal bacterial communities in the VVC group compared to before treatment. There is a significant difference in the composition of vaginal microbiota between the VVC group and the NC group, and antifungal drugs cannot promote the transition of vaginal bacterial community to a healthy state.
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  Diversity and composition analysis of intestinal fungal flora in Plaque Psoriatic Patients

  Journal of Microbes and Infections. 2024, 19(4): 204-210.

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  Objective We aimed to identify the differences in the diversity and composition of intestinal fungal flora between the plaque psoriatic patients and the healthy individuals. Methods We obtained the fresh fecal samples from the psoriatic patients and the healthy controls, collected from January 2021 to December 2021 in the dermatology clinic, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University. Fecal samples were processed and ITS was sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq PE250 platform by UPARSE software. Results 1. Although a slight elevation was found in the richness and diversity of the intestinal fungi for the psoriasis group, there was no statistical difference between the two groups by the alpha diversity analysis (P>0.05)；2. A significant separation was detected between P and C groups with the analysis of PLS-DA；3.There were more than 10 species in the richness were significant different between two groups by the species diversity analysis. Phaffomycetaceae, Psathyrellaceae, Wickerhamomyces, Papiliotrema_flavescens in group P, and Saccharomycopsis, Saccharomycopsis fibuliger, Cutaneotrichosporon_cyanovorans, Cutaneotrichosporon, Aspergillus_conicus, Penicillium sumatraense, Mrakia blollopis, Hyphopichia, Talaromyces_duclauxii in the group C, were found increased, respectively. Conclusion The composition of intestinal fungal flora in the plaque psoriatic patients was significantly different compared with the healthy controls.
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  Clinical characteristics and risk factors analysis of Klebsiella pneunoniae infections in elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia

  Journal of Microbes and Infections. 2024, 19(4): 211-218.

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  To investigate the clinical characteristics, drug resistance types and risk factors of Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in elderly patients. The clinical data from 322 elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) who admitted to Renhe Hospital of Baoshan District Shanghai from 2021 to 2023 were collected, and the patients were divided into a Klebsiella pneumoniae-infected group (KP group, 56 patients) and a non-Klebsiella pneumoniae-infected group (NKP group, 266 patients). Multifactorial logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was assessed to the clinical value of indicators for Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. The results showed that Klebsiella pneumoniae exhibited high rates of resistance to ampicillin, cefuroxime, ceftazidime and piperacillin. Multifactorial analysis showed that males, respiratory failure, solid shadows in the lungs, and high fasting glucose levels were independent risk factors for Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for assessing the risk of infection for males, respiratory failure, and high fasting glucose levels exceeded 0.6, and the AUC of the combined indicator of the four independent risk factors reached 0.762. The elderly CAP population with Klebsiella pneumoniae demonstrates specific clinical characteristics and faces a high rate of drug resistance. Being male, high fasting glucose, respiratory failure and having solid shadows in the lungs were independent risk factors for infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae. Therefore, early identification and implementation of effective treatment and management strategies for these high-risk groups is essential in clinical practice.
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  Preliminary Study on the Impact of Shroom2 Gene Deficiency on Schistosoma japonicum Infection

  Journal of Microbes and Infections. 2024, 19(4): 219-226.

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  Shroom2 is an actin-binding protein involved in the regulation of cell motility and actin cytoskeleton remodeling. Schistosome eggs can induce granuloma formation, leading to organized immune aggregates around the eggs. We unexpectedly observed that Shroom2-deficient mice exhibited a significantly higher mortality rate after infection with Schistosoma japonicum compared to wild-type mice. This study aims to investigate the disease progression in Shroom2 knockout mice after infection with Schistosoma japonicum, revealing the potential role of the Shroom2 gene in the immune response to schistosome infection and granuloma formation around the eggs. We used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate Shroom2 knockout (KO) mice. Both C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) and Shroom2 KO mice were infected with Schistosoma japonicum, with each mouse receiving an infection of approximately 30±2 cercariae via abdominal skin exposure. The mice were monitored daily, and the number of deaths was recorded. At 5 and 7 weeks post-infection, mice were sacrificed for blood routine analysis and liver histopathology with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Shroom2 knockout mice showed a significant increase in mortality during the acute phase of schistosome infection, accompanied by severe liver pathology and abnormal blood parameters. These findings suggest that the Shroom2 gene plays a critical role in regulating the host immune response, and its deficiency may increase susceptibility to pathogens, accelerating disease progression.
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  Severe meningitis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans infection：a case report

  Journal of Microbes and Infections. 2024, 19(4): 227-231.

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  Cryptococcus is an opportunistic pathogen that causes cryptococcal meningitis in immunocompromised patients. Cryptococcus mainly causes subacute or chronic infection, the acute course is rare, this article introduces a case of progressive exacerbation of meningitis caused by acute infection of Cryptococcus neoformans in a diabetic patient, and to understand the development process affecting the occurrence and development of cryptococcal meningitis.
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  A Case Report of Aeromonas dhakensis Bloodstream Infection

  Xian-Yuan ZHOU

  Journal of Microbes and Infections. 2024, 19(4): 232-236.

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  There are few reports on bloodstream infections caused by Aeromonas dhakensis. This article presents a case report of a patient with liver cirrhosis who developed Aeromonas dhakensis bloodstream infection. The disease progressed rapidly with a poor prognosis. During the species identification process, methods such as the bioMerieux VITEK 2 Compact, Bruker mass spectrometer, and 16S rRNA sequencing were unable to provide accurate identification. However, gyrB sequencing and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) were able to yield definitive species results. Through the comprehensive application of multiple methods, we provided a clear identification result for clinical diagnosis.
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  Research progress on the correlation between serum IL-21 and antiviral therapy with nucleoside (acid) drugs in CHB patients

  Journal of Microbes and Infections. 2024, 19(4): 237-243.

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  Abstract:Antiviral treatment is a crucial tool for delaying the course of chronic hepatitis B and improving the prognosis of the illness. Chronic hepatitis B is today a significant infectious disease. Throughout the whole process, the body's immunological response is vital. The therapeutic relevance of immune factor IL-21 levels in the management of chronic hepatitis B is examined in this paper. The virologic response, HBeAg seroconversion, and viral recurrence in hepatitis B patients are all significantly influenced by serum IL-21. Variations in blood IL-21 levels are linked to recurrence after stopping nucleoside (acid) analogue treatment and can predict the virological response of individuals receiving these treatments. In clinical practice, serum IL-21 level monitoring can aid in the development of more successful individualized treatment plans. Additionally, IL-21 has demonstrated strong antiviral potential based on its immunomodulatory action, offering a novel treatment target and concept for chronic hepatitis B.
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  Meta-analysis of the Distribution and Antimicrobial Resistance of Pathogenic Bacteria in Periprosthetic Infections

  Journal of Microbes and Infections. 2024, 19(4): 244-256.

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  OBJECTIVE This meta-analysis aims to clarify the microbial distribution of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) and explore therapeutic strategies for specific pathogens associated with PJI.Methods PubMed, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), and Wanfang Database were searched for relevant literature up to November 8, 2022. Studies reporting on the distribution of PJI pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility were included. Data on pathogen distribution and antibiotic resistance profiles were collected. Studies meeting the criteria underwent quality assessment using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool for analytical cross-sectional studies. Meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 17 software.Results A total of 25 studies were included, consisting of 22 retrospective studies and 3 randomized controlled trials. Among the 25 studies, the overall prevalence of Gram-positive bacteria was 76% (95% CI: 0.72-0.80, P < 0.01), Gram-negative bacteria was 18% (95% CI: 0.15-0.21, P < 0.01), fungi was 3% (95% CI: 0.02-0.04, P < 0.01), and mycobacteria was 2% (95% CI: 0.01-0.02, P < 0.01).Conclusion Coagulase-negative Staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus are the two main pathogens contributing to periprosthetic joint infections. Clinical practices should explore more effective utilization of existing drugs, mitigate the development of bacterial resistance, and seek new drug targets, in order to provide a wider range of antibiotic options for periprosthetic joint infections.